Carlos Joel Arellano

Carlos Joel Arellano is a Mexican-American screenwriter based in Arizona, telling raw, character-driven stories rooted in cultural truth, political urgency, and lived experience. His debut feature, Why My Parents Crossed the Border, is a coming-of-age drama set in the aftermath of an ICE raid, blending grief, family, and activism into a deeply personal story of survival and resistance.

He is also developing The Finish, a psychological wrestling drama that explores obsession, identity, and legacy within the high-stakes world of sports entertainment. Carlos writes from a place of urgency and clarity, using cinema as a way to confront injustice and give voice to those often left out of the frame.